Parliament passed unanimously with 103 votes with its third and final reading a Georgian Dream-proposed constitutional amendment envisaging cutting some of PM’s powers vis-à-vis parliament when changing cabinet members in a new constitutional model, which will go into effect after the presidential elections this year.

Amendment, confirmed on October 4, will keep a provision according to which in case of change of one-third of cabinet ministers, the entire government and the PM require to be re-confirmed by the Parliament. Without this amendment, a new constitutional model, which will go into force after the presidential elections, would have given the PM right to change the entire cabinet ministers without the authorization of the Parliament.

The newly confirmed amendment also removes from the new constitutional model a clause, which was giving the PM right to initiate non-confidence vote against the cabinet in respect of any government-sponsored bill.

The new amendment also envisages introduction of a new clause in the new constitution according to which if the Parliament fails to confirm state budget within first two months of new fiscal year, it will amount to launch of non-confidence vote procedures; but if the Parliament fails to confirm new government, the President will have the right to dissolve the Parliament and to call snap elections. Under the constitution, which is now in force, the President has the right to either sack government or dissolve Parliament if the latter fails to confirm next year’s budget before the end of current year.